Well here it is - the 720S

[Peloton25]

One last photo of green McLaren's - seems rather appropriate anyway given that it is St Patrick's Day.

This is XP5 together with XPGT -- I would LOVE the opportunity to see this pair in the same setting.



Photo kindly shared by Andy Burke - please give him a follow if you are on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/andy.b.1982/

>8^)
ER

[flemke]

FourWheelDrift said:

Green is seen as an unlucky colour in the UK and USA, maybe other places.

USA oval track racing - definitely. It's on the same level of evil as having peanut shells inside a racing car.
UK? Never heard of that, especially as green is the official national racing colour!

[flemke]

Peloton25 said:

Sadly the car's second owner who acquired it from Japan in 1999 felt that Silver would be a better color for the car -- there weren't enough of those already, I guess??
>8^)
ER

Good one.

[Sway]

flemke said:

USA oval track racing - definitely. It's on the same level of evil as having peanut shells inside a racing car.
UK? Never heard of that, especially as green is the official national racing colour!

I live in a fishing village. I have heard fishermen comment on a green car being unlucky, but perhaps that's just an extension of the superstition regarding green boats?

[Beefmeister]

I walk under ladders, behind black cats, break mirrors and step on cracks

Superstition is a load of old sh*te, if I want to do something (like have a green car) no ridiculous hocum would stop me and I'm staggered that any right minded folk these days would.

[NewChurch]

Beefmeister said:

I walk under ladders, behind black cats, break mirrors and step on cracks

Superstition is a load of old sh*te, if I want to do something (like have a green car) no ridiculous hocum would stop me and I'm staggered that any right minded folk these days would.

Yes, it's an absolute load of nonsense, It's also just the same as religion... try tackling that little minefield.

That F1 GT longtail colour is stunning, that, and napier green.

[Sway]

Beefmeister said:

I walk under ladders, behind black cats, break mirrors and step on cracks

Superstition is a load of old sh*te, if I want to do something (like have a green car) no ridiculous hocum would stop me and I'm staggered that any right minded folk these days would.

I agree, considering my own life and circumstances.

I can entirely understand why people such as the fishermen I meet down the local follow such things.

Walking under a ladder is stupid, not daft superstition. If it's going to fall (pretty bloody common), then you're under it. If the person at the top drops a tool/paint pot/etc., then again, it's on your head.

For guys whose working life involves being out in conditions that carry significant risk of loss of life, I can certainly understand why some of these things become 'law' - even if often the rationale about why they became so is lost in the mists of time.

[flemke]

Sway said:

Beefmeister said:

I walk under ladders, behind black cats, break mirrors and step on cracks

Superstition is a load of old sh*te, if I want to do something (like have a green car) no ridiculous hocum would stop me and I'm staggered that any right minded folk these days would.

I agree, considering my own life and circumstances.

I can entirely understand why people such as the fishermen I meet down the local follow such things.

Walking under a ladder is stupid, not daft superstition. If it's going to fall (pretty bloody common), then you're under it. If the person at the top drops a tool/paint pot/etc., then again, it's on your head.

For guys whose working life involves being out in conditions that carry significant risk of loss of life, I can certainly understand why some of these things become 'law' - even if often the rationale about why they became so is lost in the mists of time.

The other thing is, one may appreciate that, as a logical concept, a superstition is hokum, but may choose to heed it out of respect for the traditions and history of the activity.

[br d]

flemke said:

Sway said:

Beefmeister said:

I walk under ladders, behind black cats, break mirrors and step on cracks

Superstition is a load of old sh*te, if I want to do something (like have a green car) no ridiculous hocum would stop me and I'm staggered that any right minded folk these days would.

I agree, considering my own life and circumstances.

I can entirely understand why people such as the fishermen I meet down the local follow such things.

Walking under a ladder is stupid, not daft superstition. If it's going to fall (pretty bloody common), then you're under it. If the person at the top drops a tool/paint pot/etc., then again, it's on your head.

For guys whose working life involves being out in conditions that carry significant risk of loss of life, I can certainly understand why some of these things become 'law' - even if often the rationale about why they became so is lost in the mists of time.

The other thing is, one may appreciate that, as a logical concept, a superstition is hokum, but may choose to heed it out of respect for the traditions and history of the activity.

Les Dawson never discounted these old superstitions, as he said:

My uncle Fred laughed at superstitions as a young man, he would walk under ladders with no fear. And do you know what, over the next 50 years he lost all his teeth.

[scenario8]

Well, I did some more thinking and still couldn't find any memory of being aware the colour green was "unlucky" in the UK. I would have expected that if it was such an issue as to significantly prevent sales I might have heard of it by now - what with me becoming alarmingly old these days. Isn't it's relatively low popularity more likely simply to be a matter of fashion and availability. Few cars are offered in green even as an optional extra. Presumably manufacturers have convinced themselves the extra effort isn't worth it and so we're plagued with variations of grey and black with white being a frequently ticked box in mainstream cars (I suspect muchly because it is offered for free). At the exotic end the market is, naturally, a little more nuanced but there are still plenty of UK registered green coloured Astons, Bentleys and Jaguars on the roads.

I quite like a nice dark green, me.

[garystoybox]

Beefmeister said:

I walk under ladders, behind black cats, break mirrors and step on cracks

Superstition is a load of old sh*te, if I want to do something (like have a green car) no ridiculous hocum would stop me and I'm staggered that any right minded folk these days would.

I know that green cars always headed up insurance companies most claims, hence I think the unlucky tab. I do know that green is the most relaxing colour to the human eye and the way in which it relaxes the brain. Also green is deemed to merge into the background and undergrowth, being a natural colour of nature. This is the reason military vehicles use green to 'blend in' to the background and not get noticed. I.e. Dozy drivers less likely to notice you and hence more likely to drive into you. That said, I did love the alumina green MGF I had c20 years ago....

[993AL]

For those who don't want to talk about green cars, ladders, broken mirrors etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJtvNzYT9pk

[Daisy Duke]

scenario8 said:

Well, I did some more thinking and still couldn't find any memory of being aware the colour green was "unlucky" in the UK. I would have expected that if it was such an issue as to significantly prevent sales I might have heard of it by now - what with me becoming alarmingly old these days. Isn't it's relatively low popularity more likely simply to be a matter of fashion and availability. Few cars are offered in green even as an optional extra. Presumably manufacturers have convinced themselves the extra effort isn't worth it and so we're plagued with variations of grey and black with white being a frequently ticked box in mainstream cars (I suspect muchly because it is offered for free). At the exotic end the market is, naturally, a little more nuanced but there are still plenty of UK registered green coloured Astons, Bentleys and Jaguars on the roads.

I quite like a nice dark green, me.

Green has been considered unlucky in the UK, but mostly wrt clothing (and wallpaper and soft furnishings) due to arsenic being used in the dying process. Scheele's Green (copper arsenite) was even used as a food dye so understandably people became suspicious of green sweets too. However, I think the association of bad luck with green cars in racing comes from America due to a number of unfortunate incidents early on http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/how-the-color-green-...

As for the superstition affecting cars sales, I agree that the colour's current unpopularity is probably more to do with fashion. Personally it wouldn't put me off a car and I would make my decision based on how much the colour suited the car - as you say, cars from old British marques seem right in BRG and I can't see anyone turning down a lime green Miura because they're afraid it would be unlucky!

[stoatage17]

TedLeveTT said:

Messing around in the configuration, came out with this beauty. I'm a sucker for dark wheels! Starting to like the looks of the 720 now!

I have just come bac k from Geneva, mainly to look at the 720s in Glacier White, which I loved and have specked it, no other colour comes close, I thought till I saw this blue, thanks Ted!
I have to say that, having gone on quite a few stands, the Mclaren stand was the friendliest nd most helpful, even letting enthusiasts to look at and sit in the 720s even though they were not going to buy one.
At the other end of the scale, Ferrari. Haughty and patronizing. When asked whether they were worried about the 720S, the young man said "not at all" and walked off. I read that to mean YES!

[br d]

I attended the event at McLaren London on Friday night to have a look at the car. Difficult to get a good look really because it was constantly surrounded by a crowd but it's certainly better in real life than pictures.

Plenty of wizardry in the cars tech and I'm sure the performance will be stunning but I'm not yet entirely convinced.
The other half said she wanted me to buy one so that's one hurdle cleared!

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

stoatage17 said:

At the other end of the scale, Ferrari. Haughty and patronizing.

Not quite the end of the scale though, Pagani were arsehats, and we were invited!

[Sway]

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

Not quite the end of the scale though, Pagani were arsehats, and we were invited!

That doesn't surprise me.

FoS when the Huyara was released, and HP was wiping the car down with some quick detailer.

I figured that this gave the impression that he was feeling quite sociable, and asked him a few questions about the car, only for him to 'no eenglishh'.

Then a week later I saw an interview with Hurry Metcalfe where his English was impeccable...

[Beefmeister]

Sway said:

That doesn't surprise me.

FoS when the Huyara was released, and HP was wiping the car down with some quick detailer.

I figured that this gave the impression that he was feeling quite sociable, and asked him a few questions about the car, only for him to 'no eenglishh'.

Then a week later I saw an interview with Hurry Metcalfe where his English was impeccable...

You see that paints a different picture for me - I love that the owner of the company was getting his hands dirty and cleaning the car himself. Maybe he'd had a long day and just didn't want to chat, but I would y hold that against him.

Agree about Ferrari though, you can tell the kind of company they are now when the 812 Superfast was revealed at Geneva. Within seconds the car was surrounded by sharp suited Italians abd awfully dressed wealthy types posing. The hoardes of Press around the stand didn't get a chance to take a photo of the car without some gurning bellend in the way.

It was the first press day and the global reveal of the car, you'd think they could leave it 5mins before noshing off their whales.

[flemke]

Sway said:

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

Not quite the end of the scale though, Pagani were arsehats, and we were invited!

That doesn't surprise me.

FoS when the Huyara was released, and HP was wiping the car down with some quick detailer.

I figured that this gave the impression that he was feeling quite sociable, and asked him a few questions about the car, only for him to 'no eenglishh'.

Then a week later I saw an interview with Hurry Metcalfe where his English was impeccable...

Of course I believe you, but I find that odd. A few years ago I was at a private event and he asked me if I would take him for a drive in my car. In that situation, he was the one asking for the favour, so to speak, and one presumed that he was putting his best foot forward. Nonetheless his English was very minimal with a heavy accent, and I took that to be as good as it got.

[Sway]

I'm trying to find the video, without much joy. Perhaps my recollection is faulty - it's certainly not unknown.

I was impressed at the company owner wanting to stand in a massively crowded paddock wiping the car down, you certainly don't see that very often!

Just had a chat with a mate I was with on the day - what I had forgotten was the lovely Italian brunette he passed me over to who did speak lovely English. Perhaps he was merely doing me a favour...

What did he think of your car Flemke?